Angularly movable obturator, particularly for controlling molten metal flow from containers or ladles

ABSTRACT

An obturator including a fixed support having a pouring channel, and a fan-shaped member pivoted eccentrically for movement in a horizontal plane with respect to the support. The member has a funnel-shaped appendix carrying a pouring bushing. The member is formed with a toothed sector, and a rack engages the sector and moves the member so as to bring the hole in the bushing into and out of registry with the pouring channel. The member and its pivot pin are resiliently biased to provide a pressure between the mutually sliding surfaces of the fixed support and the bushing.

United States Patent Palazzo 1 Nov. 25, 1975 [54] ANGULARLY MOVABLE OBTURATOR 2,360,389 10/1944 Bergman 251/174 X PARTICULARLY FOR CONTROLLING 3,565,299 2/1971 Bieri 4. 222/560 X 3,760,992 9/1973 Bieri i i 4 .1 251/144 X MOLTEN METAL FLOW FROM 3,764,047 10/1973 lnoue 222/555 X CONTAINERS OR LADLES [76] Inventor: Ferdinando Palazzo, C1 80 Massimo dAzeglio, l2, Torino, ltaly [22] Filed: June 5, 1974 [21] Appl. 1901;476:864

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct 16, 1973 ltaly 70045/73 [52] US. Cl. 222/512; 222/557; 222/560; 251/179; 251/299 [51] Int. Cl. B22D 37/00; B22D 41/08 [58] Field of Search 251/144, 174, 179, 299, 251/368; 222/512, 557, 560, 561, 555

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 966,310 8/1910 Clark 251/179 Primary ExaminerRobert B Reeves Assistant Examiner-David A. Scherbel Attorney, Agcn1,0r Firm-Alan H, Levine l l ABSTRACT An obturator including a fixed support having a pouring channel, and a fan-shaped member pivoted eccentrically for movement in a horizontal plane with re spect to the support. The member has a funnel-shaped appendix carrying a pouring bushing. The member is formed with a toothed sector, and a rack engages the sector and moves the member so as to bring the hole in the bushing into and out of registry with the pouring channel The member and its pivot pin are resiliently biased to provide a pressure between the mutually sliding surfaces of the fixed support and the bushing.

15 Claims, 16 Drawing Figures U.S. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet 1 of7 3,921,866

U.S. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet 2 of7 3,921,866

U.S. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet30f7 3,921,866

PIP

ult- US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet 4 of7 3,921,866

US. Patent N0v.25, 1975 Sheet50f7 3,921,866

U.S. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet 6 of7 3,921,866

US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 Sheet70f7 3,921,866

ANGULARLY MOVABLE OBTURATOR, PARTICULARLY FOR CONTROLLING MOLTEN METAL FLOW FROM CONTAINERS OR LADLES The present invention relates to devices for melted metal flow, particularly cast iron, steel, and its alloys, from ladles and/or similar containers.

As is known, the ladles receive melted metal from the converter or a suitable furnace, and are suitably suspended above the casting seats; they are opened over each ingot mold into which they pour the appropriate amount of metal through a bottom pouring aperture. After filling of each ingot mold, the downward flow of melted metal is intercepted and subsequently again permitted for filling of the following ladle.

In the sequences of pouring or in the extrusion pouring processes, either for ingots or flat blooms, it is necessary to periodically intercept the downward flow of melted metal from the bottom pouring hole of the ladle.

The more diffused system for intercepting the pouring into a ladle comprises, as is known, the use of a bar immersed in the melted metal bath parallel to the ladle axis. The bar is protected by a refractory envelope and provided with a terminal plug, which also is made of a refractory material and controls the pouring hole eccentrically located with respect to the ladle bottom. The bar may be maneuvered from outside through suitable levers. It is also known that the plug or the protecting envelope of the bar must usually be replaced after each pouring; the time required for that replacement is obviously non-productive. Interception devices for melted metal pouring are also known which are based on sliding drawers or planes which may be mechanically or hand controlled. All the mentioned devices present certain drawbacks deriving from the tendency to wear of the refractory members and from the complexity of the mechanical members and the actuating devices particularly the drawer type devices.

The subject matter of present invention is an obturator for intercepting metal pouring from ladles, characterized in that it comprises a mobile plane made of refractory material and mounted downstream of the ladle pouring chair hole; said plane being normal with respect to the pouring hole axis and provided with one or more transverse holes having their axes parallel to the pouring hole axis; said plane being angularly movable in order to bring it to such a position that one of its transverse holes coincides with the hole of the pouring chair, or in such a position as to intercept the ladle pouring chair hole.

Another particular feature of the device according to the invention resides in that the plane element or elements made of refractory material and provided with transverse holes are contained in a box-shaped metal support which may rotate around a pin having a vertical axis; the box-shaped support being angularly movable through suitable drive members which may be controlled by hand or by a suitable powered mechamsrn.

Another particular feature of the device according to the invention resides in that the angularly movable member may have an angular sector shape and be provided with one or more downflow holes, or it may be disk-shaped and provided with a plurality of downflow radial holes, thereby being particularly suitable for sequence pourmgs.

Additional particular features of the invention will be seen from the following specification which refer to the schematic drawings annexed only for illustrative purposes, and wherein:

FIG. I is a partial vertical cross-section view of the sluice valve-like device applied to the ladle bottom, in a pouring position;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-section view along a plane at with respect to FIG. 1, which illustrates the same device in a pouring-intercepting position;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the device along line III-Ill of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of the steel-made support mounted on the ladle bottom;

FIG. 5 is a cross section of the support along line V-V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the lower cap of the device;

FIG. 7 illustrates the same cap in a cross-sectional view along line VII-Vll of FIG. 6;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are, respectively, a plan and a transverse cross-sectional view of a plate carried by the device support;

FIGS. 10 and 11 similar to the preceding figures, illustrate a second plate of the support;

FIG. 12 is an end view of the support for a rack;

FIG. 13 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of same support along line XIII-XIII of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 illustrates schematically a variant of the device, applied to a ladle;

FIG. 15 is a plan view of the essential members forming the device of FIG. 14; and

FIG. 16 is a plan view of a toothed crown disk support, for refractory sectors according to a further structural variant of the device according to the invention.

As previously stated, the main particular feature of the device according to the invention resides in that the intercepting member of the ladle comprises an obturator which is angularly movable, instead of linearly slidable, in order to greatly reduce the wear of the refractory members and to simplify, as described later, the movement transmission members of the obturator or intercepting member.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, 20 indicates the metal bottom of a ladle internally lined with refractory material 21; 22 indicates the fixed pouring chair; and 23 indicates a metal plate also fixed to the ladle bottom. A support 24 is anchored to plate 23 by means of a plurality of perimetrical bolts 25, only one of which is shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 4, the support 24 in a plan view, the seats of the bolts 25 are indicated by 250. The support is provided with a perimetrical edge 24b extending on three sides. Pin 26 having a vertical axis, is free to slide and rotate in seat 27. Pin 26 serves as a pivot pin for the end 28a of plate 28 (FIGS. 1, 2, and 3) with which the funnel-shaped appendix 28b is integral. Plate 28, when seen in a plan view (FIG. 3), has a substantially fan shape and is provided with the perimetrical toothed sector 280 which engages rack 29 (FIGS. 1, 3, l2, and 13). The pivot axis of rotation of plate 28 is formed by the axis of pin 26 and, with respect to that axis, two rows of balls 30, 31 are radially located and retained in their seats by a metal diaphragm 32 (FIG. I) mounted on plate 28 by bolts 33.

Sliding tracks 34, 35 for balls 30, 31 are formed in a thrust support 36 (FIGS. 1, 3, 10, and 11) whose op posed ends 360 are tenon-shaped and accommodated with some clearance, in corresponding seats 240 formed in the edge 24b of support 24 (FIGS. 3, 4, and

5). The hemispherical head 26a of pin 26 is supported in the corresponding cavity 37b formed in the cross member 37, which is provided with ends 37a quite similar to those of the thrust support 36 (FIGS. 1, 8, and 9); the ends 37a are received in seats 24c formed in the edge of support 24. Rows of cylindrical helical springs 38, 39 are mounted in compression between the bottom side of the thrust support and the cross member 38 respectively, and the closed bottom of corresponding seats 40a, 40b provided in the cap 40 (FIGS. 1, 6, 7), the latter articulated on a pin 41 at one side of the support 24, by means of cars 40:- and similar ears 24d of the support.

The cap 40 is further locked with respect to the support 24 by means of a plurality of bolts 42 and closed bottom nuts 43. The bolts 42, having an eyelet head 420 are pivoted for oscillation in pairs of ears 24e carried by the support 24, and engage the perimetrical open slots 40d formed in the edge of cap 40 (FIGS. 2, 4, 6, and 7). Cap 40 is further provided with a central oval seat 40e from which the end 28b of the funnelshaped appendix of plate 28 protrudes; 40f indicates a handle for maneuvering the cap 40.

A mobile pouring chair 44, made of refractory material, is mounted within the funnel-shaped appendix 28b of plate 28. Between the opposed surfaces of the fixed pouring chair 22 and the mobile pouring chain 44, high strength refractory plates 45 and 46 are interposed.

The plate 45 is carried by plate 24 fixed to the ladle bottom, and plate 46 is carried by plate 28 in a position overhanging the mobile chair 44.

With reference to FIGS. 4, 5, l2, and 13, the parallel edges 24b of support 24 project beyond its side opposed to the side provided with ears 24d, and thereby forms a pair of aligned frame-like supports 24f for slidably supporting rack 29 which engages the toothed sector 28c of plate 28.

The operation of the device is as follows:

When an angular position, shown in FIG. I and with dashed lines in FIG. 3, is imparted to plate 28 through the rack 29, which is always engaged with the toothed sector 28c, the discharge channels 220 of the fixed pouring chain 22 and 44a of the mobile pouring chain 44 are coaxial; as shown in FIG. 1, the channel 22a extends through plate 45 while channel 44a extends through plate 46. In this condition the melted metal being poured flows down from the interior of the ladle, through channels 220 and 44a to the ingot mold or in any case to the exterior of the ladle. By the actuation of rack 29 in the direction of arrow .r in FIG. 3, the plate 28 is rotated around the axis of pin 26 and brought into the angular position shown in FIG. 2 and by full lines in FIG. 3.

In this condition, the channel 220 of the fixed pouring chain is no longer coaxial with channel 440 of the mobile chair, but intercepted by the surface of plate 46 which, carried by plate 28, occludes the channel.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the refractory plates 45, 46 which are superposed and mating, preferably have an oval shape, or if not a rectangular shape or the shape of a circular crown sector. As a result, in the pouring interception angular position of the plate (FIGS. 2 and 3), the melted metal column contained in the channel 22a rests on the refractory surface of the plate, and for any angular position which may be assumed by plate 28, the molten metal never comes in contact with the metal members of the device.

The reciprocating movement of the rack 29 is preferably controlled by the stroke of mechanical, electromechanical, or pneumatic devices.

With reference to FIGS. 14 and 15, and according to a variant of the invention, the fan-like plate 28 pivoted for oscillation at 26 with respect to the support 24, presents a toothed arch 47 engaged by a worm screw 48 which may be rotated through a shaft 49 and a joint 50.

In FIG. 14, 20 indicates the ladle bottom, 22 the fixed pouring chair, and 44 the mobile pouring chair or pouring bushing.

According to the first variant and keeping the particular features already described unchanged, the toothed sector of the plate is engaged by a worm screw instead of a rack.

With reference to FIG. 16, and according to a second variant of the invention, the obturator member formed by the fan-like plate 28 may assume the shape of a boxshaped disk 51 by suitable modifications to the support 24 and the cap 40, provided with a toothed crown 52 which may be engaged by a worm screw carrying a plurality of refractory sectors 53, individually provided with pouring channels 54. Disk SI rotatably pivoted at 26 in a horizontal plane is capable of successively bringing the channels 54 in individual coincidence with channel 22a and to intercept the latter by the refractory areas existing between a channel 54 and the following channel. The sectors 53 are interchangeable with respect to the disk 51 which supports them.

Even in this case, the angular movement of disk 51, and hence the movement of the drive members, is preferably controlled by stroke end devices, which determine their exact angular positions each time.

The invention is not limited to the examples which have been described and illustrated for a demonstrative purpose but it comprises the embodiments which are analogous and/or equivalent to the obturator device, having angular movement, constituting the subject matter of present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An obturator for controlling the flow of molten metal through an opening in the bottom of a container for such metal, the obturator comprising:

a. a support fixed with respect to the container,

b. a plate having an aperture which can be brought into alignment with the opening in the container, to allow molten metal flow from the container, or alternatively moved out of alignment with the opening to terminate such flow,

c. a vertical pivot pin horizontally spaced from said aperture and extending between said plate and support, said pin being slidably and rotatably accommodated in said support, said plate being pivotable about the axis of said pin,

d. a cap beneath said plate and carried by said supe. resilient means between said cap and pin urging said pin and plate toward said support,

f. resilient means between said cap and a point on said plate which is on a side of the aperture in said plate opposite said pin, said resilient means urging said plate toward said support, and

g. means for pivoting the latter about said pin between a position in which said aperture is aligned with the opening in the container and a position in which said aperture is out of alignment with the opening in the container.

2. An obturator according to claim 1 wherein said plate has a funnel-shaped appendage surrounding said aperture, and a refractory bushing supported within said appendage, said bushing carrying an upper surface adapted to slidably engage the lower surface of the container in the region surrounding the opening in the bottom of the container.

3. An obturator according to claim 2 including an opening in said cap through which said appendage projects, said opening being elongated in the general direction of movement of said plate about said pivot pin.

4. An obturator according to claim 2 including a refractory plate carried by said bushing, said refractory plate defining said upper surface, and said refractory plate being elongated in the general direction of movement of said plate about said pivot pin.

5. An obturator according to claim 4 including a bushing within the opening in the bottom of the container, and a plate carried by said bushing and defining a lower surface thereof, said lower surface slidably engaging said upper surface of said plate bushing, and said plates having holes which correspond in size to the central holes of said bushings.

6. An obturator according to claim 4 wherein said refractory plate has a through hole, said through hole being aligned with the opening in the bottom of the container in one position of said plate, and a portion of the upper surface of said refractory plate devoid of holes is aligned with the opening in the bottom of the container in another position of said plate.

7. An obturator according to claim 1 wherein said cap is pivotally mounted on said support for movement 6 about a horizontal axis, and fastener means joining said cap to said support.

8. An obturator according to claim 1 including a thrust support between said resilient means (f) and said plate, and low friction means slidably supporting said plate on said thrust support.

9. An obturator according to claim 8 wherein said low friction means include balls between said thrust support and said plate.

10. An obturator according to claim 8 including means interconnecting said thrust support and said support whereby the former is supported by the latter.

11. An obturator according to claim 1 wherein said means (g) includes teeth carried by said plate at a point remote from said pivot pin, and an actuator engaging said teeth.

12. An obturator according to claim 11 wherein said actuator is a toothed rack.

13. An obturator according to claim ll wherein said actuator is a worm screw.

14. An obturator according to claim 1 wherein said plate is circular and rotatable about its center, and teeth around the periphery of said plate for rotating said plate.

15. An obturator according to claim 1 wherein said plate is sector-shaped and assembled with a plurality of similar plates to form a circular assembled plate, the apertures of said plate being spaced apart around the center of said circular assembled plate, and means for rotating said circular assembled plate to successively bring each of said apertures into alignment with the opening in the container bottom or alternatively move each of said apertures out of alignment with the container opening. 

1. An obturator for controlling the flow of molten metal through an opening in the bottom of a container for such metal, the obturator comprising: a. a support fixed with respect to the container, b. a plate having an aperture which can be brought into alignment with the opening in the container, to allow molten metal flow from the container, or alternatively moved out of alignment with the opening to terminate such flow, c. a vertical pivot pin horizontally spaced from said aperture and extending between said plate and support, said pin being slidably and rotatably accommodated in said support, said plate being pivotable about the axis of said pin, d. a cap beneath said plate and carried by said support, e. resilient means between said cap and pin urging said pin and plate toward said support, f. resilient means between said cap and a point on said plate which is on a side of the aperture in said plate opposite said pin, said resilient means urging said plate toward said support, and g. means for pivoting the latter about said pin between a position in which said aperture is aligned with the opening in the container and a position in which said aperture is out of alignment with the opening in the container.
 2. An obturator according to claim 1 wherein said plate has a funnel-shaped appendage surrounding said aperture, and a refractory bushing supported within said appendage, said bushing carrying an upper surface adapted to slidably engage the lower surface of the container in the region surrounding the opening in the bottom of the container.
 3. An obturator according to claim 2 including an opening in said cap through which said appendage projects, said opening being elongated in the general direction of movement of said plate about said pivot pin.
 4. An obturator according to claim 2 including a refractory plate carried by said bushing, said refractory plate defining said upper surface, and said refractory plate being elongated in the general direction of movement of said plate about said pivot pin.
 5. An obturator according to claim 4 including a bushing within the opening in the bottom of the container, and a plate carried by said bushing and defining a lower surface thereof, said lower surface slidably engaging said upper surface of said plate bushing, and said plates having holes which correspond in size to the ceNtral holes of said bushings.
 6. An obturator according to claim 4 wherein said refractory plate has a through hole, said through hole being aligned with the opening in the bottom of the container in one position of said plate, and a portion of the upper surface of said refractory plate devoid of holes is aligned with the opening in the bottom of the container in another position of said plate.
 7. An obturator according to claim 1 wherein said cap is pivotally mounted on said support for movement about a horizontal axis, and fastener means joining said cap to said support.
 8. An obturator according to claim 1 including a thrust support between said resilient means (f) and said plate, and low friction means slidably supporting said plate on said thrust support.
 9. An obturator according to claim 8 wherein said low friction means include balls between said thrust support and said plate.
 10. An obturator according to claim 8 including means interconnecting said thrust support and said support whereby the former is supported by the latter.
 11. An obturator according to claim 1 wherein said means (g) includes teeth carried by said plate at a point remote from said pivot pin, and an actuator engaging said teeth.
 12. An obturator according to claim 11 wherein said actuator is a toothed rack.
 13. An obturator according to claim 11 wherein said actuator is a worm screw.
 14. An obturator according to claim 1 wherein said plate is circular and rotatable about its center, and teeth around the periphery of said plate for rotating said plate.
 15. An obturator according to claim 1 wherein said plate is sector-shaped and assembled with a plurality of similar plates to form a circular assembled plate, the apertures of said plate being spaced apart around the center of said circular assembled plate, and means for rotating said circular assembled plate to successively bring each of said apertures into alignment with the opening in the container bottom or alternatively move each of said apertures out of alignment with the container opening. 